Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia
Abstract
The aim of the Australian Communications and Media Authority‟s (ACMA) Cybersmart Detectives (CSD) activity is to teach children key Internet safety messages in a safe school environment. The activity brings together a number of agencies with an interest in promoting online safety for young people, including education, State and Federal Police, government and child welfare advocates. The activity has been played by over 28, 000 students in Australia since initial trials in 2004.
Cybersmart Detectives is offered free to schools by the ACMA as part of the Australian Government‟s commitment to cyber-safety. Based on a real-world Internet safety scenario, the CSD activity is delivered to students in the classroom as a series of messages. Aided by the classroom teacher, students work in small teams, reading correspondence, voting on a series of poll questions and sending questions and suggestions to their „Cybersmart Guide‟ waiting online. As the scenario unfolds, students discuss the risks of certain online and offline behaviours and ways of managing those risks..